Lost in Red
by wickedworrior
Summary: Thinking he was dead was the least of his worries. The secret organization Red Room, has recruited its newest member, with no memory of James Barnes, from the help of Prof. Grigor Chelintsov. The Winter Soldier is tasked to help change Red Room, and make it deadlier than ever. Programs "Black Widow" and "Wolf Spider" begin. (On hold for now)
1. Chapter 1

_**Prologue**_

 _ **Location: Stalingrad, Russia**_

 _ **Date: 1942**_

The air was filled with the smell of decay and gunpowder. A cold subtle wind was constantly blowing, and the distant noises of gunfire filled the streets. The German's were advancing, and Russia was out of guns. In the battle hardened part of the city, where no man would dare go. It was nothing but a wasteland filled with dead bodies and rivers of blood on the streets and fountains.

Ivan Petrovich was lying under a half destroyed car. He was breathing steadily and he kept his eyes vigilant for the Nazis. He was lying next to a man he didn't know, and if he did, he would never know; the man had a hole the size of an apple in his face. Ivan wasn't fazed by the sight, he had grown used to it after a few years of fighting. He was lost in Stalingrad and he knew they would not come to get him back. They would say that he hid in a hole like a dog, then shoot him. It was how Russia worked.

Ivan didn't have a weapon by soldier standards, but he did have his hands. Ivan could feel the rumbling of Nazi tanks a few blocks away. He closed his eyes to focus his listening. He could hear the subtle drops of water out of a gutter and the sound of a bird walking along the road. He had spent years trying to master his senses and not to show emotions. The one sound he never intended to hear was the sound of anxious breathing. He frowned at it and at first he thought it was himself, but it was coming from a destroyed pub. Ivan opened his eyes and he thought it could be a German.

Ivan took the risk and crawled out from under the car. He stayed on his knees and he hid behind the car. He listened again and he heard the slight sound of someone moving. Ivan stood up and quietly jogged over to the side of a window of a building. The pub was another building down. Ivan kept his eyes on the windows, looking out for snipers. He slowly walked, not making a sound, toward the pub. He checked the road again and he saw nothing. He quickly moved across the road and came upon the door to the pub. He kept his breathing slow and his thoughts out of his mind. He didn't want to hesitate if it was a German. Ivan kept his face as still as stone and he moved slightly and he opened the door and he could hear a bottle break. He ran in and he was in the main bar area and there was no one there.

Ivan stayed calm and he breathed slowly and he walked forward. He could see that the place had met a lovely encounter with the Germans. Bullet holes were in the walls and the looks of a fire in the corner. The wretched Nazis, killing innocents, they would burn for it. Ivan really didn't care about innocence, because there was no such thing. Everyone had a little bit of sin. Ivan knew that more than most and he was sure he would do more before the end. Ivan saw the broken bottle and he knelt down to inspect it.

He saw that by the way it broke that it was knocked over, not thrown. Ivan saw it as an accident that it fell over. He heard the sound of footsteps and he looked toward the back of the pub, through a door. He stood up and walked forward, he saw a trail of blood on the floor and it went into the room. Ivan saw that it was still wet, it was from the person in there. Ivan kept his pace the same, he kept his anxiousness back and his expectations low.

Ivan got to the door and he opened it and he walked into the dark room. He stopped when he heard the soft singing of a woman, she was singing softly and a lullaby, Ivan listened and it was a beautiful voice and it was a Russian lullaby that he knew quite well, he pressed onward toward the soft singing. The light of the city was filling the room, but it was still quite dark. Ivan looked over and there was a blood trail that led to a dresser. Ivan saw that there was a woman sitting there. Ivan walked over and he knelt down and she seemed frightened.

"Stay calm, I'm Russian" Ivan spoke in Russian

The woman's breathing didn't stop being fast, Ivan had to guess she was dying. He saw that she had a bullet hole in her gut, and she was holding something in her arms. Ivan looked closer and he noticed that it was a baby. The woman looked at him and she had dark red hair and her eyes were a pale green. Her skin would have been ivory if she wasn't deathly pale from blood loss. Ivan decided it was ok to show a little emotion.

"Are you hurt?" He asked

The woman looked at him and she was breathing shallowly "Take her" she said softly

Ivan clenched his jaw and he saw the bundle in his arms shift and move and he suddenly felt a little scared by it. Funny he could kill a man, but he couldn't hold a baby. The woman offered the baby to him and Ivan slightly hesitant took the baby and brought her close to his chest, afraid that he might drop her. Ivan opened the blanket a little and he saw a face of a baby and her eyes were open and they were a brilliant emerald green, and she had red hair.

She grabbed his finger and Ivan felt a sudden pain in his heart, it was a good pain. He looked at the woman and she was lightly smiling.

"What is her name?" Ivan asked

The woman was starting to fade, and Ivan watched as she slowly closed her eyes and said a name "Natalia Romanova"

Ivan saw her die in front of him and he noticed that Natalia moved slightly in his arms and she made a soft cry. Ivan lightly rocked her "Shh its ok, I'll take care of you. My little Natalia" Ivan said and he saw Natalia slowly close her eyes and fall asleep in his arms.

Ivan looked at the woman and he noticed that she was beautiful, whoever she was married to was a lucky man. Ivan looked at the woman one last time and he stood and walked away, with Natalia in his arms.

 _ **Three years later 1945…**_

James Barnes was standing next to his friend Steven Rogers. He felt the cold air against his face and he slightly shivered. They were both staring at a ridge with a train track on it. Bucky glanced at the zip line that they were going to take down to get on the train that Dr. Zola was on. Bucky felt his gut drop and he looked at Steve, and he was still getting used to him being taller than him still.

"Do you remember when I made you ride the cyclone, at Coney Island?"

"Yeah, and I threw up?" Steve said

"This isn't payback, is it?"

A subtle smile came to Steve's lips and he almost chuckled "And why would I do that?"

Bucky slightly rolled his eyes and he took a few deep breaths and before he knew it Steve was already flying down toward the train. Bucky quickly followed him, Bucky kept a firm grip on the handle and he saw the train speeding under him and he let go. He landed and he slightly knelt down and caught himself. Bucky kept calm and he followed Steve. They went across the top of the train and they made their way to a compartment and hopped down into it.

They were almost instantly met with resistance. Bucky fired his Thompson and hit one of them and he ducked behind a crate as the blue blast of energy burned the side of the crate and barely missed him. Bucky took in a deep breath and he fired, suppressing the other soldier. Steve took the chance to throw his shield and it hit the soldier and knocked him unconscious. Bucky stood up and he walked toward Steve.

"I had him"

"I know" Steve said in a lightly banter

The door opened and a large soldier walked into the compartment and Bucky fired as he went into cover. The soldier fired and missed him and Steve hit the soldier and he blocked an energy blast and the shield came out of his hands. Bucky tossed his Thompson and he pulled out his pistol and grabbed the shield and fired at the soldier. The soldier's armor took a few bullets and then he fired at Bucky. The energy blast knocked him back as it was redirected to the right and blew out the side of the compartment.

Bucky flew out into the cold wind and he caught the hand railing of the bent metal. He felt his legs dangling and he glanced down and the sheer drop made his heart almost stop. Bucky looked to his right and saw Steve climbing out to get him.

"Hang on Buck" Steve said he held out his hand and Bucky reached for it and the metal hand rail creaked and broke off and Bucky fell.

"NO!" Steve yelled

Bucky fell and he yelled as he plummeted down. Bucky could only see white and he was twisting through the air. He felt himself flip and then he saw the edge of the ridge and he smacked into it. His left arm snapped and his hip crushed. He rolled down and hit the ridge again and he felt his ribs crack and he landed into the white snow. Bucky opened his eyes and he was dazed and couldn't tell what was going on, he heard a loud rumble and cracking. He saw a huge rock flying toward him in his blurry vision. He tried to move, but his hip was broken and so were his ribs, he wasn't going anywhere.

The rock landed on his left arm and he felt it turn to nothing but flesh and muscle, the bine was completely shattered. Bucky laid there in the bitter cold and he came in and out of consciousness. He noticed at the snow started to move and then it was a group of men in white snow gear. They had red stars on their left arms and one had his head supported and another was cutting his left arm off. The man yelled something to the man holding his head and the man dragged him away from the rock and his arm was not connected anymore. Blood leaked out of his arm and covered the white snow, turning it red. He saw another group of the same men and they began to talk to one another.

They dragged him across the snow and they lifted him up into what seemed to be a medical truck. Bucky saw a man with a red hot metal stick and he felt the burning sensation on his left arm. He couldn't talk or yell in pain, it was as if it was all stuck in his head. Bucky closed his eyes and then he felt the coming sweet embrace of sleep, but he didn't want to go to sleep. Bucky felt so tired and he couldn't fight it and he felt everything become still and then everything went black.

Bucky opened his eyes and he was on a cold table and a saw was cutting into his arm and he felt the pulsing pain up his body. He saw another metal arm of a machine and it clamped down on his ribs and put them back together. The pain surged through his body and he passed out again. He opened his eyes and he could taste blood in his mouth. He heard two men arguing.

"He isn't going to make it"

"He survived the fall, which is proof enough, give him the full treatment"

"We don't know what it will do"

"This is our only chance, to gain the upper hand on the Americans"

"Sorry Dr. Zola, I won't do it"

"If you won't, I will"

Bucky felt a needle get shoved into his leg and he felt a burning sensation as the unknown liquid was pumped throughout his body and he felt his ribs completely heal and his hip reconstructed itself and he felt the pain in his arm go away as the skin and veins resealed. He felt the burning sensation and it went to his eyes and he saw his vision change slightly, he felt tears coming down his face, Bucky touched his eyes with his right hand and the tears were blood. Another painful jolt and he felt his body shift and as it seemed to grow. Bucky felt his heart beating, it was hammering, his thoughts were racing and he couldn't think.

"Make sure he lives"

Bucky felt himself slip out of consciousness and he was back in the dark embrace.

Bucky opened his eyes and he had three scientists or doctors around him, he couldn't tell which. He lifted both his arms and he saw that his left was metal and he clenched it into a fist and he grabbed one of the men to his left and he crushed his throat. The other tried to restrain him and then another stuck a needle into his leg and smiled as he felt everything go black.

"Put him on ice"

"My weapon, my Soldier. The Winter Soldier"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Location: Siberia, Hidden Hydra Base**_

 _ **Date: 1947**_

 _He could smell the candles in his house burning. Giving off the sweet aroma, he felt his heart settle as he walked into the house. The front door closed softly and he was looking around, wide eyed. He smiled as the bag he held in his hand dropped to the floor. He ran forward and headed to the kitchen where he knew his mother would be. He pushed the door open and there she was, a shorter woman with long brown hair, and her blue eyes always made him feel safe. She turned and smiled at him. "Mama!' he exclaimed a she ran to her. She laughed and swept him into her arms and she gave him kisses. He only giggled as he felt her arms around him. Her lips were warm and her embrace was even warmer. He welcomed it after he head walked home from school in the cold air as Winter was coming. She looked at him and her hand went to his cheek and he felt her warm palm transfer her warmth to his frozen cheek. "How was school?'" she asked in German._

 _He put his hands together and smiled "Okay" he responded in German._

 _"Okay? Anything interesting happen?" she asked with a smirk._

 _He only giggled "Not really" his eyes shifted toward the stove "What are you making?" he asked_

 _She looked back at the stove and smiled "Your favorite"_

 _He felt his eyes widen and his heart jumped with excitement. he jumped in excitement and he turned and a blast of cold air smacked him in the face._

The dream was over, his eyes opened and he felt his whole body ache as he felt cold water flow down his limbs. He inhaled deeply, it was the first breath he'd taken in forever. He put his hand forward and touched the ice cold side of the contraption he was within. he frowned and he moved his left arm and it smacked into the side of the contraption and he didn't feel anything. It wasn't hot or cold, it was just ridged. His eyes were aching, he felt like he just had them open for hours. He closed them and he felt his eyes become warm, it felt like heaven. He opened them again and looked at his left arm, it was crisp silver metal. He opened his palm and he looked at his metal hand and he closed it slowly. His metal fingers lightly scrapping against each other. He opened his hand again and he looked forward. he was encased in metal, there was a glass window in front of him, at the perfect height for his face. It was still frosted over. He raised his real hand and put it on the glass. He felt the cold glass slowly become warm from his hand, he took it away and he saw his hand print on the glass. He could see out of his entrapment. His heart was racing, he didn't know where he was, or who he was. What was his name?

What the hell was his name?!

He felt like vomiting when the metal in front of him hissed and unlocked. He froze, he didn't dare move, the metal in front of him opened and he felt the air from outside touch his skin and it was warm. He inhaled deeply as the new air filled his nostrils. He looked around the large room, he was trying to figure out where he was. He had no idea. Then he heard footsteps. He frowned, then two sets of arms reached in and pulled him out. He was brought out of his metal entrapment and he almost fell to the floor as his legs were forced to keep him upright. He pushed off with his feet and he stood slightly, the arms were attacked to two men in dark grey uniforms. He looked at them, they were both tall, then he was moved on and his head lowered and he couldn't see them. He was dragged to a metal counter and he was put onto it. He felt helpless, he was sitting on the cold metal and it was the first time he noticed that he was only in tight black briefs. He had to focus to keep his eyes open, he was weak and his stomach ached with hunger. He felt like puking again. Then a hand touched his real arm and then a blinding light went into his eye. He wanted to shut his eyes, but he was forced to keep them open by another hand pushing his eyelid upward.

The blinding light suddenly faded away and he was face to face with a shorter man with glasses. He was smiling "He is perfect"

He frowned at the small man and looked around. He was then forced to look straight again by one of the men that dragged him out of his entrapment. He frowned again. "Can he speak?" a low heavily accented voice asked. The small man with glasses only gave him a small smile. "He can speak, just give him a moment"

"Moment's are often too long"

The small man laughed "You Russians and you're impatience"

"You Germans and you're ignorance"

"I'm Swiss" he said

"Can he speak or not?" the low voice asked.

The small man looked at him and smiled, "well, can you?"

He could see the utter happiness in the small man's eyes, almost child like. "Where am I?" he asked, his voice sounding very different than he thought it would. "Ah success!"

"He can ask a question, not really acing a test"

The small man frowned at the Russian "Well he's been on ice for two years"

"MY work saved his life"

"Our work" the small man corrected "Do not forget that he is ours"

"Of course not, just we are becoming anxious"

The small man turned back to him and stared up at him "You are in a safe place"

"Where?" he asked, his voice still feeling foreign "Why can't I remember anything?"

"It's the side effects of being in cryo, it'll come back to you"

"How, did I" he began to say

"How did you loose your arm?"

He nodded as he looked at the metal arm that was now in place of his real one. "You were in battle, and you were injured"

"How?"

"You saved the men around you from a grenade, and it tore your arm off at the elbow. We could not save the rest, so we gave you a prototype. I hope you like it."

"It is, strange" he said, he took a deep breath "What is my name?"

The small man titled his head "Your name is not important, you are being inducted into a honorable title, this will be your new name"

"Will I remember my name?"

"We will not know, the grenade also gave you some memory loss, you may never know"

He took another deep breath "Did we win?"

"No, sadly, but ware still doing our good work. Hydra's work"

"Hydra" he said

"You do remember a little bit. Yes we saw what you did and we thought that since the German army had no use for you, that we could. A man willing to take a grenade for his comrades is a rare one in deed."

"My best friend?" he asked, suddenly remembering him. The small man looked grave "He was killed, a bullet through the neck"

He felt the news like a punch to the gut then he remembered seeing his throat get blown apart and his blood splattering onto his face. He closed his eyes, "What is my new name?"

"Ah, well it is a title that is rarely given, in fact you are the first. From now on, you'll be known as the Winter Soldier"

"Winter Soldier" he said

"Yes" the small man said with a nod "I am Zola, the lovely Russian behind you is Grigor"

"Grigor" he said, he looked behind him and there he was. A man with sleek black hair and green eyes. He didn't even smile once he saw him. "He helped save you, he preserved your brain functions, we had to rebuild you a bit"

He nodded and put his hand out "Grigor" he said

Grigor nodded and shook his hand "I am looking forward to working together"

"You're Hydra as well?"

"No, I am a certain classified branch of the KGB, we work with Hydra. Secretly of course."

"Of course" Zola said, he laughed slightly "Now Grigor, you will get our new friend's help next year. We must get him accustomed to life here first, and we have business that we need to see to" He said giving Grigor a look, he nodded "We should have the candidates by then, I look forward to seeing him work"

"Don't we all"

Grigor left and now it was only him and Zola. Zola ran a few tests to see if he was healthy and everything was working. Eventually he was allowed to eat something, a hardy meal of steak and potatoes. Then he was given his quarters and his uniform. He was soon alone in his quarters. The door was closed and he was sitting with perfect posture on his bed. He was breathing slowly, the Winter Soldier. He had to admit that was a mouth full, especially to be addressed that every time. Soldier would probably do. He closed his eyes and he thought about himself, his mother. And the Americans, how he wished they had seen the true power of Germany, but he had to settle with Hydra. He could distinctly remember a shield and the man who they called Captain America. He heard that he was dead, good riddance, now hydra can do it's good work from the shadows. And he was happy to be part of it, at least for now.

 **Author's Note: This story is still on hold, but I figured I could write a quick chapter for the ones who have been waiting for an update. It's been a long wait, I hope this takes the edge off. Tell me what you think with a review.**


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